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Common Thread

bajaden - 10-12-2005 at 11:31 PM

Funny you should ask Sharky. I have thought about what brought me to baja for some time. Then I got to wondering if there was a common thread between all of us. Some common peice of our soul that brings all of us together here.

I wondered if I was running away from something, or running to something. If someone had told me when I was 21 yr's old that I would be living in baja now, I would have thought them crazy.

In my case, it was an accident. I was talked into coming down with friends, and accidently found myself. I found peace I had never felt before. I was amazed how I could sit in the middle of the desert by myself, and not feel alone.

So how about the rest of you. Whats your story? Is it just the great fishing? Or is it more spiritual. Or both?

For those of you that are affected by the words soul and spiritual, I'll be doing some consulling tomorrow at noon.

My first time all the way down

Sharksbaja - 10-12-2005 at 11:47 PM

was etched in my life forever. 1969 and so fine! Took my first trip before the road was finished. When we finally reached Mulege after passing thru the then very eerie town of Sta. Rosalia we were overwelmed with the sealife, the super friendly fisher folks and the awesome tropical feeling. Ambiance!
Many years of work and raising kids has enabled us to take pause in the place I like to call our new "Casa'. It is only a part of the charm that the peninsula offers our family. It is certainly a special place and I am very hopeful the changes will come slow. If not, oh well. were still gonna love it and have fun down there. We'll try to minimize our impact and give something back. Thanks Den, good thought, what is that common thread anyway?

Bedman - 10-13-2005 at 12:00 AM

Common Thread......Were all Adventurers.

It's not quite the adventure it was some years ago.

New places, lost missions, Pirate stories, wildlife, things you've never seen.

I'd even suspect we ALL like the "Swiss Family Robinson" story/movie?

Bedman

Osprey - 10-13-2005 at 06:20 AM

Flew into what is now Los Barriles in 1969 and just fell in love with the place. There were just so many new and exotic things to discover. Still are. Spent yesterday in the Laguna mountains splashing around in my favorite mountain streams -- had the place to myself. Magic lives in these mountains and they are just 22 miles from my little casita.

bajajudy - 10-13-2005 at 06:28 AM

It is Baja Magic, which is different for each of us. BUT we have all been sprinkled with the Magic Dust!
I dont know about the rest of you but I sure feel lucky to have found this place.
There is still lotsa Magic left, you just have to go a little bit farther to find it in some places now.
Sprinkle Sprinkle

Bruce R Leech - 10-13-2005 at 06:37 AM

for me it was mostly the people and the way of life that made me want to live here. it was adventure that originally brought me down.

jerry - 10-13-2005 at 08:03 AM

I feel that baja has choosen me. Yes i made the first move by exposing my self to baja. But she has continued to draw me to her over and over more deeply each time. she has taken over my thought patterens, so that nearly every spare moment she creeps into my mind giving me a peacefull feeling of my past trips and the excitment of the next. Soon i will imbrace her Not having to leave. Ill be" home"
have a good one jerry

vandenberg - 10-13-2005 at 08:50 AM

For me it started with fishing trips. Ensenada ( 2 guys ), San Quentin ( 4 guys ), San Felipe ( 6 guys ), La Paz ( 10 guys ). That trip with R/T flight from TJ for $ 62.00 .Stayed at Los Arcos annex and had a blast. This was when the peso went from 300 to 650 if I remember right, and everything was dirt cheap. Then several trips with the better half in a motorhome and we were hooked. Spend time with friends on a boat in Escondido and bought a place in Tripui. Those days there was a waiting list and you had to put up $2000.00 to get on it Were there for 3 years and bought land in Nopolo. Took almost 3 years to build a house, but was it ever worth it. Had this place and the beach for 10 years pretty much to ourselves. But progress is coming. Still have some stuff in California that needs looking after, I hate to say. Every time I cross the border, my blood pressure goes up about 50 points and can't wait for the moment when we cross again coming south. Need I say "WE LOVE THIS PLACE AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT GO WITH IT " La Paz is the town we visit about 5 times a year ( El Moro ).Love the place and according to my wife ,the shopping is excellent. HAHA!!.

bajaden - 10-13-2005 at 09:18 AM

Good replies all. Pompano, I think you summed it up the best. Not to be redundit, but yes I loved Swiss Familly Robinson and Peter Pan etc. when I was young. I never out grew those stories. Adventure is such a broad stroke of the brush.. Adventurers are people in search. Many times they don't know what thier searching for. Its the searching that matters, and perhaps not knowing what they'll find. We hope for a new vista we've never seen before. A new playa with no apparent footprints on it.

We sink our line into the earth not knowing for sure what we will intice to our bait this time. I would have it no other way.

Someone said once, sometimes we get so caught up in the journey, that we forget where we were going and why. Its good to remember.........

Barry A. - 10-13-2005 at 09:34 AM

I was introduced to Baja CA 53 years ago, ---San Felipe first, and then the plateau of the San Pedro Martir. I was hooked. As a physical geographer it was the wild, natural, relatively untouched, huge deserts and warm waters that appealed to me. I get the same feeling in remote parts of the SW USA, of which there are millions of great places to still see. The Mexican folks in the remote enclaves, and out on the beaches, were neat iceing on the cake, so to speak. The adventure and adrenilin rush of going off into real wilderness, relying only on yourself and a few friends, (and the rural Mexican "fix anything" guys) certainly adds to it, as did the incredible fishing in the Sea of Cortez.

But the uncertainty of a foriegn land, and all the problems that my Mom had with her house at Punta Banda, (which they finally sold after 10 years, or so) always discouraged me from wanting to actually "live" there.

I love living in the USA, and especially California, but I will always be returning to Baja California for those very special adventures that we all crave. Being there is a wonderful feeling, but so is living up here in Alta California. No where that I have ever seen is there as much geographical variety as in Alta California-----it cannot be beat!!!!!

I think a few of you

jrbaja - 10-13-2005 at 09:40 AM

have watched a few too many episodes of "Lost". :lol:

Or not!!

There are a few places in the states that used to bring on the same feelings, Death Valley for one, but the tacos there just didn't compare!

vandenberg - 10-13-2005 at 09:43 AM

To each his own. But Barry ,I think we beat the hell out of it !! :biggrin:

Owens Valley...

eetdrt88 - 10-13-2005 at 10:03 AM

definitely rivals baja as far as awesome spots....situated between the Sierra mts. and the White mts.,Owens river runs thru it and a whole ton of streams that are full of big bass and trout,and some of the best tasting water in the world comes right out of the tap :yes:

just outside of Bishop is a great place to take your kids and camp right on the river for free,oh yeah dont forget the hot springs with 5 different naturally heated pools just down the way...i'd be heading there soon except everytime i leave town nowadays i only head one direction....south :spingrin:

guess i cant help it,Baja fever has taken hold,i'm wondering if it will ever subside

Jr---I sure agree on the tacos------

Barry A. - 10-13-2005 at 10:09 AM

I am continually disappointed in the quality of tacos at Mexican restaurants in the USA------they are so "Americanised"-----but occasionally you do find some good ones------but not in Death Valley, for sure, but in Lone Pine???? Yes!!! El Centro???? Yes!!!! etc.

Amazons??????? I like that!! In Baja???? I will keep looking---an excuse to go back.

Vandenberg------we (the hordes) sure seem to be trying to beat Alta CA to death (as well as Baja), but we are still constantly finding places that are relatively untouched---you have to look hard, and go places where nobody else thinks to go----but they are there. We have been spending about a month in Anza-Borrego in Feb. for about 10 years, and we still find great places to go to in that huge Park that we have never been to before------you just have to look really hard, and take the unlikely looking jeep trails, and walk some.

We also spend considerable winter time in Owens Valley, Death Valley, Panamint Valley and Saline Valley-------great places!!!!!!

By the way----JR----

Barry A. - 10-13-2005 at 10:17 AM

My son has worked for the Native American Paiutes in Owens Valley for years, as well as other tribes in California, and the South Pacific Islands, and he shares some of your feelings and thoughts on the pre-history of the Native peoples------I guess when you are constantly around them, and talk daily to them, and get really involved with them, they do tell you some really interesting stories. The truth about pre-history probably lies somewhere in between what you and I are saying.

Barry A. - 10-13-2005 at 10:21 AM

Pomp------you live in Bora-Bora???? Wow!!!!!

bajaden - 10-13-2005 at 10:34 AM

Well Barry, my business is in Meadow Vista, so Im pretty familiar with Alta. I have to get on 80 along with thousands of other people to go the 20 or so miles to your place. Don't get me wrong. I'd rather live there than in SF. Just give me the wide open spaces of baja.

As far as the Owens valley, my X father in law owns half the town of Bishop, and a chunk of Mamonth Mt. His name is Bill Woolston. Tell him hi for me if you happen to know him. I love the Owens valley and did a lot of fishing there. Love the catch and release section above Crowley.

What I didn't love was the 20,000 plus people that were there every week-end. That they closed the road to the devils post pile because of too many people. I think you get my point.

As Hank Fonda said in the movie " How The West Was Won ", " I'm going west to the mountains, where their ain't no people......... YET!

[Edited on 10-13-2005 by bajaden]

Sorry EE

jrbaja - 10-13-2005 at 10:37 AM

It doesn't go away!
Barry, the show was about Amazons. The evidence of them was found in the wilds of Russia. Great show done by professionals. But, the rural folks down here do believe in a giant race of people, pre-Injun.

Anybody seen the cold spring or cave homes in Saline Valley?
Way back when, our thing was to explore all the mines in the Panamints. Come to find out, there are better ones in Baja. Both places are awesome though!

Interesting..

Sharksbaja - 10-13-2005 at 12:30 PM

.....how many of us have experienced the same places and felt the same awe.
Like, for instance, the Owens valley and Gorge, Kersarge Pass, Independence etc. These places are forever imprinted in my mind along with a thousand others. It is so cool that we share this, especially when, so many years ago in so many far off places I/we felt totally alone and special. I really didn't realize that on the other side of the mountain were some of you guys. Probably just kids with their folks on a backpack trip sometime in the 60s.
Nice to finally meet you!

Sorta!

Sharks-----

Barry A. - 10-13-2005 at 12:38 PM

My son owns a house and lives in Independence.

I spent every summer for 9 years, while growing up, on a ranch just above (west of) the Mt. Whitney Fish Hatchery, 4 miles outside Independence. My relatives still live on that ranch. My aunt was born and raised on a ranch just south of Bishop.

My wife and I spend a total of at least a month, on and off, in Independence each year, staying at my son's house right on the highway 395 main drag thru Inde.

It is amazing that many of us gravitate towards the same country, Baja included.

Sharksbaja - 10-13-2005 at 12:48 PM

Barry

I really do miss that part of the state. I think I fished every stream from Little Lake to Convict Lake.
Have you gone back into the White Mountains , up past the Ancient Bristlecones? I remember being in there for weeks and never seeing a soul.

Sharks------

Barry A. - 10-13-2005 at 01:01 PM

Yes, we have camped out on Cottonwood Creek on the east side of White Mt. peak several times, as well as other places----that is really fantastic country, and there are trout in Cottonwood Creek, and other tiny creeks up there. My son hunts that country every year.

More for Sharks-----

Barry A. - 10-13-2005 at 01:21 PM

I got to thinking-----so many of us have limited time while still working for a living, so we often go to the places that others go to, and tell us about. But one of the real advantages of being retired is that we have the time to seek out the places that folks DON'T go, that are less well known.

You mention Kearsearge Pass above Independence out of Onion valley-----lots of folks hike over that pass, and it gets really crowded all summer long. But, last weekend my son and a friend hiked on a seldom used trail north from Onion Valley (before you get to Onion) and into Sardine Lake and the Parker Lakes, and the Rex Montis abandoned mine------they saw nobody, and very little evidence of human use, and it was just great!!! They had to do a little cross-country hiking but it was no problem. There are hundreds (1000's?) of places like this, off the beaten track, and very rewarding to visit.

I have found that you can do the same in Baja-----i.e. go to places that few, if any, folks talk about, and you would think that you were the only modern man ever having been there. It just takes a little immagination and map searching, and the will to go exploring.

I know that you, and the others on this board, know what I am saying here. I think we share that common ground.

Viva Baja-----Viva Alta California!!!!

guess it's time to fess up

sylens - 10-13-2005 at 02:27 PM

husband and i bought our house in ensenada in 2000 and have lived here full time since may, 2004, and really cannot be considered baja nomads. we really don't have the vagabond adventurer spirit i read so much about (and yes, envy). at first, i felt quite the impostor reading this message board religiously and then taking the plunge and beginning to contribute. we live in ensenada, and hope to do so for the rest of our lives, because i was born in mexico, df, moved to la california at age 6 and have always wanted to retire in mexico. because we still have relatives and friends on the other side that we want to have easy access to, we chose ensenada rather than, say, guanajuato or morelia or guadalajara. i am addicted to mexico and everything mexican. true, ensenada is pretty gringoized and will only get more so. i really see us as a suburb of san diego. nevertheless, it has enough of the mexican heart and soul to keep me happy and extolling my incredibly good fortune at having my dream come true.

we plan to travel throughout mexico and also down the peninsula, but we discovered in may, when we took a bus trip to la paz, that we are not truly baja people. we loved la paz. but we enjoyed our travels in oaxaca, puebla, guanajuato and zacatecas more than our time in san ignacio, santa rosal?a and mulege.

so please forgive me as an impostor. it is not baja california that has captured my heart and soul. it is mexico. am i really the only one of those on this board? :?:

Sharksbaja - 10-13-2005 at 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Barry A.

You mention Kearsearge Pass above Independence out of Onion valley-----lots of folks hike over that pass, and it gets really crowded all summer long.

I know that you, and the others on this board, know what I am saying here. I think we share that common ground.

Viva Baja-----Viva Alta California!!!!

I knowprecisely what you mean! Funny though, I have always sought out the more "remote" places. Growing up in the burbs of L.A. I was elated to seek solace. There were so many timesin the sierras when we wouldn' see other humans for many days, sometimes longer.

I remember "Onion Valley" . and the pretty little pink blossoms and sweet smell of the wild onions in bloom. I also remember the skunk-cabbage that grows so well in the clear mountain springs I loved so much?

Thanks for the memories again!

bajaden - 10-13-2005 at 10:09 PM

Will you guys stop it. Your going to make me want to move to the Owens valley. Been to all those places. Hunted up above Bridgeport and caught golden trout. Drove that desolate road from Big Pine to Death Valley more than a few times. I was there on memorial week-end when the big earth quakes hit. We were susposed to be skiing on the mountain that morning but we changed our mind. A bunch of scouts got trapped at Convict lake.
Ahh the memories. Good times all.

Sharksbaja - 10-13-2005 at 11:09 PM

Don't fool yerself Den, you've made the grade.! Ying or Yang, it's all the same..................paradise!

Any of you guys

jrbaja - 10-14-2005 at 07:26 AM

take any right turns off that road from Big Pine to Death Valley?

The first right goes into the north end of Saline Valley (bristlecone pines) and the second goes through Eureka Valley and comes out at the upper warm springs in Saline Valley.

Both routes are a lot of fun, ghost towns, sand dunes, and especially fun in the snow! 4wd is a good idea but not mandatory.

1st trip to Saline 1970

jrbaja - 10-14-2005 at 08:12 AM

Wating for trans. to be fixed in my 69 Bronco, in the Big Pine or Bishop ( I don't remember which) A and W, after limping out of Yosemite, this guy asks if we knew about Saline Valley. Johnny Tequila sounds familiar.
My brother and other friends (from this board) go out there regularly. Still!
I think the road was called "Westgard Pass".

And I think it's pretty cool that those of us who know and love Baja, all had the same experiences to bring us here. Wierdos!! :lol:

David K - 10-14-2005 at 08:27 AM

Heck, my parents are the ones responsible for my life long case of 'Baja Fever'!

Fishing is what originally interested my dad, but soon other things Baja has became an attraction... We started to take various dirt roads on the peninsula.. just because!

I loved the place from that very first trip to Gonzaga Bay in '65... then the entire 'main road' trip from Tijuana to Cabo San Lucas in '66... L.A. Bay in '67... and there were dozens of shorter trips between the big ones to the San Felipe area, the Colonet area, etc.

To me it is the exotic desert land and beautiful beaches... the historic sites... connecting with the past... I almost can sense that I was there, long ago, walking the Camino Real!

I found and scanned a few more old pictures of my parents and I in Baja, from the 60's: http://community-2.webtv.net/baja4me/album2/

Those will be eventually added to my main Baja album site: http://vivabaja.com/album

True

jrbaja - 10-14-2005 at 08:27 AM

but, if you take the 1st road going to Saline Valley off the Westgard road, and then one of the branches off it to the right, there are also Bristlecone Pines. Just not very well known and not as many.

bajaden - 10-14-2005 at 10:40 AM

Went on a jeep club trip through that area in the late 70's. I remember we found what used to be a town and what was left of an old mine. One of the members went down into the shaft and found a keg of the old square nails.
Other than that the place was pretty picked over. Probably by you guys.

we took grandma to see the bristlecone pines...

eetdrt88 - 10-14-2005 at 11:03 AM

when i lived in Bishop and that is a pretty neat trip...sometimes we used to head up the 6 out of bishop and go to Benton,they have this little casino/restaraunt there that is a scene right out of the "Twilight Zone" with some real interesting characters,along the way there is some real interesting roads you can turn off onto and getl lost in a real hurry...good fun

Jr-------road from Eureka Dunes to upper warm springs-----

Barry A. - 10-14-2005 at 11:44 AM

Last April, we came out of upper Death Valley driving north, and then west over the mountains into the Eureka Dunes (beautiful). We then headed for Big Pine. I have long heard of that road to Upper Warm Springs from the Eureka Dunes, but never tried it as I understand you can only get thru in a jeep, or similar size vehicle, because there are some narrow places that bigger vehs. can't get thru.

Is that so??

All that area (Eureka Valley, Saline Valley) is now inside Death Valley National Park, and maybe will be closed to vehicles soon-----tho I certainly hope not.

You can also go right from the Eureka Valley road near the crest of the Inyo's, climb up the Inyo Mts. to the south, and then come down Mazourka Canyon and into Independence------lots of nice country, and more Bristlecones.

Isn't this all Baja related----just sorta a northern projection, or something??

HIGH Sierras

Sharksbaja - 10-14-2005 at 12:16 PM

Ok, who has also been up to "Thunder & Lightning Lake"? I think that's what it's called. Way up there and wasn't easy to get to. If I recall it's up the mountain from "1000 Island Lake". God I love that country! It has that same "I'm special" feeling as Baja.

Barry

jrbaja - 10-14-2005 at 02:26 PM

there's one or two narrow spots that would shame a hummer. We did it in a jeep with no problem. The worst part was rocky, rocky, bumpy, miserable roads above the warm springs. The rest was easy.

Thanks, Jr-----"thunder and lightning lake"

Barry A. - 10-14-2005 at 03:31 PM

Sharks-----"Thunder and Lightning lake" is west, and above, the Baker Lakes on the western edge of the huge Coyote Plateau west of Bishop, and NW of Big Pine. Been there many times. You can hike in easily from the end of the jeep road at the foot of Baker Meadow-----wonderful place where hardly anybody goes, and a great place to camp.

When I was 16, I went on a 400 count cattledrive up from near Keohes Hot Spring on the Owens Valley floor to the Coyote Plateau----what a great experience. Started at 2 in the morning and got the cattle into camp at 11 PM the same day---altitude gain 6000 feet, or so. Yeeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaa!!! If you check out the old "line-cabin" up in Coyote, you will see me and all my relatives names carved on the front of the cabin. My relatives built that cabin, and it is still there, but in pretty bad shape. Some of my original relatives settled in Owens Valley before LA water and Power took everything over. They sold out to the City of LA, like almost everybody else did.

Skeet/Loreto - 10-14-2005 at 04:37 PM

Bishop-1965 to 1968

Westgard pass left to White Mtn Peak-Beautiful!! did you know that the Unviersity of Calif. had an Experimental Staion at the Peak, They were rasing Sheep and other animals in High altitude an studing the effects.

Piaute Trout in the Creed. And did you know there is a College at Big Springs, or there was in the 6o's.

Hiking out of south Lake to Amphitheather lake at 11,ooo Feet.

Caught a 3Lb. 3 Oz Golden Trout at Bloody Lake, I have it Mounted and on my Wall.

Tecopa Springs, Mammouth Hot Pools, I shall never forget my 3 years . It still tugs at my Heart when I think of dropping off at 6,000 ft in a Glider, catching a Thermal going to 14,000 then being dropped out ant looking at mt whinney on one side and White Mtn peak on the other.

Yes very much the same as Baja.

Skeet

The line cabin on the Coyote plateau------

Barry A. - 10-14-2005 at 07:26 PM

I am embarrassed to say that I really do not know much about the history of that cabin, even tho it was constructed by my distant cousins (or at least that is my impression). First time I saw it was in 1954 on the aforementioned cattle drive. It was in pretty sad shape even then, but it was livable, and still had it's wood stove, and cooking utensils. We all slept in it------all 7 of us----and it was crowded. It snowed that night, so glad to be in the cabin. All the corrals were in excellent shape in 1954, which is not the case now.

My cousins were Partridges and Moxley's, and my name is Ashworth. I think only these names are carved, but I have not been back up there for about 4 years, so who knows. Anybody else carves their names in that cabin and they can expect to be gut-shot from a long ways away. We watch it constantly!!!!

The Bishop area is still full of Moxley's and Partridges. The only "Ashworth" still in the valley, and alive, is my son.

Skeet-----there is still a college at Deep Springs Valley (your "Big Springs"??). As far as I know the Experimental station on White Mt. is still there. That Deep Springs Valley college has got to be the most remote college in the country----there is no civilization for many miles all around it-----in fact it is wilderness.

But, like JR says, it is hard to get a good Taco up there in that country. But, things are improving as energetic and entrapreneural Mexican's are moving in, and bringing their good food with them. I like that!! There is a supurb Mexican restaurant in Lone Pine----cannot remember the name, tho, but it is centrally located in town, on the east side of the street. Really good.

Cabin fever

Sharksbaja - 10-14-2005 at 08:57 PM

is what I'm gettin' right now!

I've been to that cabin!
I have also caught my fair share of Goldens on the Kern Plateau when getting in there was a two day affair.
Remember Toms' Place?
My dad finally bought me a Fenwick after I embarrassed him with my plug-casting setup with a hand-tied yellow jacket by landing the biggest trout.

My folks were literally "backpack addicts" and took us poor kids every month for years. I can still feel the leg-aches I got as a 8 year old witrh a 30 lb pack. I had some sore shoulders with those packs. We would outfit ourselves down near 9 th & Beacon St at the Army surplus store each time. We hiked in surplus paratrooper boots. OUCH! Some of my fondest memories were sneaking up on beaver ponds and tossing out a fly!
I also loved the glacially carved lakes with the Golden Trout and crystal clear waters below the monolithic towering granite peaks still frosted in snow.

Osprey - 10-15-2005 at 06:42 AM

Maybe a common thread that marks Baja lovers is that we all have wide comfort zones, have lived our lives outside and don't need or seek out insulation from the elements; perhaps we often revel in the natural harshness of the land, the water. For my little village I have to moderate that thought. Each June, when all my gringo neighbors go north for the summer, my Mexican neighbors ask me the same question every year "are you not afraid of the hurricanes?" They don't make the connection between the heat of a tropical summer and the gringo migration north. When I explain that the gringos went someplace where it is cool they just smile, shrug and humor me -- they all know there is noplace cool in the summer.

Skeet/Loreto - 10-15-2005 at 08:19 AM

Great Memories for "Adventuers"!!!

That is the common thread among the Post. Next to the mexican People/Sea ofcortez Bishop area is the Greatest.

iking out of South Lake down the Muir up to amphitheater Spending a weak next to the Lake, watching Hordes of "LadyBugs" being devoured by the Trout was Fantastic.

On the way out down the Canyon approached by the Naked Sierra Members, asking me if I,wanted a "Smoke", I will never forget--Why did they have to smoke to get a High in the sierras" never figured it out>

Taking my Super cub to 13,000 over Wht. Mt, Peak coasting down the Whites seeing all the ani,als, Tress coming through the Pass a Big Pine. What a Thrill"!!

going through Tigo Pass,at 9,000 Ft. catching the edge of a Standing Linticuclir Cloud, going to 21,000 in Seconds with the Thottle back and Flaps. What a Thrill!!!

Lots of Adventuers!

Natalie Ann - 10-15-2005 at 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Osprey
When I explain that the gringos went someplace where it is cool they just smile, shrug and humor me -- they all know there is noplace cool in the summer.

Once again, Osprey, your story makes my day! Very talented man, you are.

Right on Osprey

Sharksbaja - 10-15-2005 at 02:44 PM

What we don't know sometimes harbor us from feeling there is some other way of life better than our own, which there may not be. This is a good thing. I would hate to drag the whole world into So. Cal(they're already there) so they could enjoy the mild weather year round. Who, however, would want that intense lifestyle all day everyday just for the weather? :lol:

Don't answer! :lol:

I'll keep it short...

Juan del Rio - 10-15-2005 at 08:43 PM

...why the words?

Ok, enough with the words,

Juan del Rio - 10-15-2005 at 08:51 PM

...Carlos Fiesta wants to get serious about this.

Anyone have some oldies but...

Juan del Rio - 10-15-2005 at 08:57 PM

..great old time Baja photos you could share?
Gonzanga Bay with Uncle Ralph in 1959 attached.

The History

academicanarchist - 10-16-2005 at 03:20 AM

In my case it was very simple: the history. I have spent way too many years reading and writing about Spanish missions, but I have also visited many mission sites in North and South America. Baja California was one of the first places to catch my attention, and that I visited.

baja allure

academicanarchist - 10-16-2005 at 03:25 AM

baja allure

academicanarchist - 10-16-2005 at 03:26 AM

The Jesuits were in otheer places, such as Brazil

academicanarchist - 10-16-2005 at 03:27 AM

more Baja

academicanarchist - 10-16-2005 at 03:31 AM

16. Rosario, Baja California.jpg - 33kB

another Baja mission

academicanarchist - 10-16-2005 at 03:32 AM

another Baja mission

academicanarchist - 10-16-2005 at 03:38 AM

Sunday Morning Brain Teaser 2

academicanarchist - 10-16-2005 at 03:53 AM

Name the Baja California Missions in the photos I posted. The mission in Brazil is San Nicolas, established in the 1620s.

Great photos, AA------

Barry A. - 10-16-2005 at 08:05 AM

Good to see you posting again-----welcome back!!!!! Barry

thanks

academicanarchist - 10-16-2005 at 08:37 AM

Been really busy at work, until last week

photo #1 looks like the newer San Borja.

Barry A. - 10-16-2005 at 08:52 AM

I cannot id any of the others, but would like too.

rpleger - 10-16-2005 at 09:49 AM

Yes....Great fotos......Thanks

Photo 1

academicanarchist - 10-16-2005 at 09:51 AM

Photo 1 is San Francisco de Borja. David K. can't answer.

David K - 10-16-2005 at 09:58 AM

If you are asking me not to answer, that is what I am doing (not answering)! :tumble:

I have seen most of these already, and I host several of AA's photos on my Baja Missions web page: http://vivabaja.com/bajamissions

Every mission site in Baja and several visitas (satellite mission visiting stations) are covered...

the missions are:

academicanarchist - 10-18-2005 at 01:25 PM

San Fernando; the first site of Rosario; Sto Domingo, and the second site of Santo Tomas.

David K - 10-18-2005 at 03:36 PM

San Fernando is the one before the Brazilian ruins shown. :biggrin:

Sharksbaja - 10-18-2005 at 08:58 PM

What happened to Den??
Earth to Den.......

bajaden - 10-19-2005 at 09:55 AM

I'm just here lurking in hyperspace. I thought you guys were doing just fine without me. :tumble: